Strongwomen.com - Your Virtual Trainer with Dr. Miriam Nelson

As I write this newsletter, I am sitting in the den of my in-laws house in northern New Hampshire. They live on a farm where my brother-in-law, Tom, grows organic vegetables for the local community. Late August is an amazing time of year to be on the farm. Every evening my children and I go into the garden and pick the freshest vegetables. Then with grandma's help we prepare a wonderful dinner. Last night we had corn that we had picked in the field - I think all of us had four or five ears it was so good!

I encourage all of you to visit your local vegetable farmer to get the freshest, healthiest summer vegetables. These vegetables are filled with vitamins, minerals and health promoting phytochemicals. Research continues to show us that people live longer and healthier if they consume a minimum of 5, preferably more, fruits and vegetables each day. Abundant fruit and vegetable consumption reduces blood pressure, heart disease, several types of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, blindness, constipation and other digestive disorders. Plus - they taste great!

The recipe at the end of the newsletter is one of my favorites for combining several late summer vegetables and as my husband says, "it even makes zucchini taste great!"

Dr. Nelson is scheduled to be a guest on the Discovery Health Channel television special entitled "Team Power Hour: The Power of Sport". The special is coinciding with the start of the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia and focuses on elite athletes. The show is scheduled to air September 10th and 11th at 8 pm Eastern time (please check local listings as times in your area may vary).

Q: I live in Dallas and have contacted three sports/fitness stores for the 20 ankle weights. All three had said that it is dangerous to use that much weight on the legs. Why are they saying this? Is it really safe to use up to 20 pounds on each leg?

A: The books do not recommend STARTING with 20 lbs, but having the capacity to gradually increase the amount of weight you lift towards this amount. The sporting good store clerks are probably assuming that you want to jump right in with 20 lbs. We have used these weights with very frail, elderly individuals. If your doctor says that it is safe for you to strength train, then you can. Start with only two or three pounds when you begin the program and as your muscles get stronger with the exercise program, slowly increase the amount of weight you are lifting. We are always amazed at how strong women get when they follow the program.

If the 20-lb weights are not in stock, you may want to speak with the store manager in person. If you can't get the 20-lb, then the 10-lb ankle weights are the next best thing and will work for you for the first three to five months of the program.

A: Studies examining the effect of time of day on exercise have shown varying results and responses to exercise. In some cases, there may be a slight difference but this difference is usually insignificant. One exercise study demonstrated that exercising in the afternoon improved maximal strength by as much as 26%. Most other studies have shown little smaller effects. In contrast, maximal aerobic capacity does not appear to be affected by time of day. Our philosophy is that the best time of day to exercise is the time of day that you ENJOY exercising the most and that fits into your schedule best. Everyone has different preferences in terms of time of day to exercise. Just make sure that you are not too hungry or too full when you exercise as this can compromise your routine. Also, no matter what time of day you exercise, make sure that you warm-up and cool-down properly for safe and effective workouts. You will gain benefits - both physiological and psychological - from participating in regular exercise regardless of the time of day you exercise.

Q: I have a question regarding the aerobic bouncer, or rebounder. I have one of these and love to use it. How effective is this for osteoporosis? Can I use my dumbbells while I bounce?

A: Trampolines, aerobic bouncers or rebounders have made a re-appearance on the fitness market. Unfortunately there has also been an increase in emergency room visits and injuries associated with their use, particularly in children. Anterior dislocation of the knee is common and painful. In terms of bone health, there has been no scientific studies examining trampolines; therefore, we do not recommend their use for improving bone health. However, there is strong scientific evidence that jumping on the floor does help to improve density. You may have read this in Dr. Nelson's new book - Strong Women, Strong Bones. At the present time, we do not recommend the use of aerobic bouncers in general, or for bone health and do not recommend that it be used in conjunction with any type of weights or dumbbells.

Here are excerpts from a few of the inspiring letters we've received recently. If you enjoy reading them, check out the collection of reader mail on our web site at: http://strongwomen.com/success_stories.htm

"Last summer one of my sisters gave another of our sisters, who happens to be a nun and was going through chemotherapy, a copy of Strong Women Stay Young. Our sister the nun was so pleased with the book that she started a group exercise program for the other nuns living in the same community home. The response has been fantastic, at least 12 nuns participate on a regular basis. Our sister is now living somewhere else and the exercises are being lead by an 80-year-old nun. Most of the nuns are in their 70's, 80's and even a few in their 90's. It was great to see these women participate and have such a good time doing it. The comment that struck me the most was 'I can get out of the chair on one try'. Many felt renewed energy. Thank you."

"I enjoy your newsletter and all the success stories buoy me up. I am 66 years old with a history of 15 years of rheumatoid arthritis and many surgeries. I couldn't go up stairs without the handrail and was weak in all areas. After reading your book I couldn't wait to get the weights. Although I belonged to a fitness center, I hadn't gone regularly because I didn't have a plan. I took the book to the gym and had them show me all the machines in the book. I started following the book and immediately started to see improvement. Before, everyone (including my doctors) had told me to use only the lightest weights. Now when using the most I can lift, I have improved so much that I am motivated to keep it up, where I never could do that before although I knew exercise was good for me. Thank you for the motivation."

"I was watching Later Today, today, and saw Dr. Nelson. She gave your website while she was talking. I was very impressed with her and am very pleased with the site. It is a wonderful contribution for educating us, the patients. It has inspired me to start my exercise program today. I am a 57 years old Caucasian woman, have survived breast clinic, weigh only 93 lbs, and 5'1" tall. I am taking calcium with vitamin D, have had the bone density and have lost very little bone loss at this time. I plan to talk to my doctor about possible taking the medication to help prevent bone loss. I hope to strengthen my muscles and bones for the rest of my life. Our son is a doctor at Johns Hopkins, in Internal Medicine. He is very much trying to get patient education available to the general public. He will be very impressed with your sight. I'm sure he will recommend it to his patients. Thanks for a great job. Thanks to Dr. Nelson for the time she spends on her books to help us be able to help ourselves."

Succulent Summer Squash

Early September brings with it so many ripe summer squash that it is hard to know what to do with them all. This recipe, created by Miriam's mother-in-law, Nancy, is delicious and uses several late summer vegetables. Use local produce if possible, as they are the sweetest and tastiest! This is a wonderful recipe that is easy to prepare and perfect as a light main dish. Serves 4.

(For other deliciously nutritious recipes, be sure to go to http://strongwomen.com/recipes/recipes.htm)

Ingredients

1 T. olive oil

1 medium onion

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 medium green pepper

1 medium zucchini

1 medium yellow summer squash

2 medium ripe tomatoes

Fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ T. cream cheese

2 cups of cooked egg noodles (about one cup dry)

In a large thick-bottomed skillet, combine olive oil, garlic and chopped onion and cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent. Add chopped squash (medium chunks), green pepper (chopped finely) and tomato (medium chunks) cover with a lid and sauté for a few minutes until vegetables are cooked through. Then add chopped fresh basil or other fresh herbs and salt and pepper along with the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese melts and combines with the vegetables. Then add the cooked egg noodles. Cover and sauté until everything is hot. Serve with your favorite other summer vegetables such as corn on the cob.

Note: you can use any summer squash you like and you can substitute any grain, such as rice, for the egg noodles.

Nutritional information per serving (1):

210 calories
7 g total fat
0 g saturated fat

33 g carbohydrate
6.5 g protein
4.5 g fiber

Portions:

1 Grain

1 Vegetable

1 Extra